All American Gymnast Olivia Karas On Overcoming “Rushy-itis” to Become Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable
Mar 20, 2024
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Former 6x All-American gymnast Olivia Karas shares her journey of overcoming 'rushy-itis' through imperfect moments. She reflects on the mental toughness displayed by Olympic champion Kerri Strug and emphasizes being comfortable with discomfort. Olivia highlights the importance of controlling controllables, resilience in the face of adversity, and embracing discomfort for personal growth in gymnastics and life.
Mental toughness is essential in overcoming challenges inspired by Kerry Strugg's legendary vault.
Storytelling in gymnastics coverage should focus on athletes' journeys, not just their routines.
Deep dives
Olivia Carris' Inspiration from Kerry Strugg
Olivia Carris, a former All-American gymnast, draws inspiration from Kerry Strugg's legendary vault during the Olympics, highlighting not just the physical prowess but the mental fortitude displayed. Carris admires Strugg's ability to push past pain and perform, showcasing the importance of mental toughness in overcoming challenges.
The Visibility of Pain in Gymnastics
Discussing how gymnasts usually aim to make routines appear effortless, Olivia Carris reflects on Kerry Strugg's vault, which visibly showed pain and struggle. This departure from the usual graceful appearance of routines brought a new level of respect and realism to the sport, revealing the intensity and hardship gymnasts face, challenging the notion of always presenting perfection.
Mental Training for Peak Performance
Olivia Carris delves into her mental training after a junior-year injury, emphasizing the importance of managing anxiety to enhance performance. She describes incorporating intentional breathwork into her routines, focusing on slowing down her mind and syncing it with her movements to stay present and improve her overall gymnastic performance.
Creating Meaningful Sports Narratives
Transitioning to a career as a Big Ten Network analyst, Olivia Carris emphasizes the significance of storytelling in gymnastics coverage. She aims to highlight athletes' journeys beyond just their routines, showcasing the struggles, triumphs, and efforts behind their performances to provide a deeper, more comprehensive narrative to viewers.
Olivia Karas is a former 6x All-American gymnast from the University of Michigan where she helped the Wolverines win four consecutive Big Ten team titles. She won a share of the Big Ten All Around title in 2019 and finished her career ranked 8th in the country in the all-around.
Early in her gymnastics career, she was inspired by Olympic champion Kerri Strug who stuck her vault on one leg showing the world the mindset to make an imperfect moment perfect. Oliva’s own journey has also included several imperfect moments leading to perfect teaching moments such as her struggle with anxiety or “rushy-itis” which taught her a process to slow down, utilizing her breath to connect her mind and body or a torn Achilles which reminded her to focus on what she could control while highlighting how much she loved her sport.
Currently, she is an on-camera analyst for Big Ten Network where she combines her athletic and professional experience to tell the stories of other athletes in a way that captures the effort, attitude, and gratitude behind a perfect routine giving them something they will be proud to share with future generations.
As an athlete or analyst, what is she most proud of? The ability to be comfortable being uncomfortable.
@livkarass
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